Shoe boxes



y 27, 1955 B. v. WIGEMARK ETAL 3,197,117

SHOE BOXES Filed Feb. 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 B. v. WIGEMARK ETAL3,197,117

July 27, 1965 SHOE BOXES Filed Feb. 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F l6. l2

United States Patent 3,197,117 SHOE BOXES Berti! Vidar Wigernarlr,Ormgatan 79, Goteborg, Sweden, and Evald Henrik Ferkingiroli, Savedalen,Sweden; said Ferkinghoii assignor'to said Wigemark Filed Feb. 5, 1963,Ser. No. 256,463 Claims priority, appiication Sweden, Feb. 7, 1962,1,321/ 62 6 Claims. (til. 229-52) Shoes are delivered practically alwaysfrom the factory to the shop in boxes comprising a lid portion and abottom portion. At the vending of the shoes in the shop it is necessarythat the lids be loose and formed in such a way that in order to occupythe smallest possible space the bottom portion can be arranged in thelid portion. Upon settling the vending the customer receives the shoesin the box which is Wrapped in paper and is tied and is eventuallyprovided with a carrying handle of wood.

The purpose of the present invention is to facilitate the work for theseller and for the buyer to carry the package.

The main feature of the invention is to be seen therein that the lidportion which, when the box is closed extends over the opening border ofthe bottom portion, with a cover piece preferably completely cover-s oneof the four sides of the box, that this side is provided with a handlepreferably comprising a soft synthetic resin and, that the cover piecehas an elongated slot to be passed through by the handle for renderingpossible the carrying of the box after it has been closed.

By this arrangement it is possible to use the box itself as a wrappingand it is easy to ca-rrythe shoes in the box by means of the carryinghandle.

According to an embodiment of the invention the side of the box which atthe carrying of the same is covered with said cover piece is providedwith slots to be passed through by retaining plates for the straps onthe handle. The covering piece continues advantageously in stay cornerportions at the adjacent sides of the lid. Due to these stay portionsthe lid will be rigid to such an extent that there will be no risk of anaccidental opening up of the box at the carrying of the same. There willbe no need of paper or string for wrapping the box. The box can beprovided with prints and should preferably be manufactured in one orseveral colours for decorative purposes. In such a case the carryinghandle should have a colour matching the colours of the box.

In case the shoes are very heavy, e.g. when ski-boots are to be carriedin the box, it may be advisable to attach the lid portion to the bottomportion by means of tape on the side remote from the handle; However, itis also possible to provide the lid portion border at this side withcatching tongues which can be inserted in slots in the correspondingwall of the bottom portion.

Special advantages are obtained in boxes having two short and two longsides when the carrying handle is arranged on one short side and thecorresponding short side of the lid is provided with a covering piecethe closed position of the box to cover preferably completely said shortside of the bottom piece and having an elongated opening to be passedthrough by the handle at the carrying of the box.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the covering piece isformed in such a Way that when the lid is in closing position itcompletely covers that side of the box which carries the handle and isadapted to be folded against the inside of the border piece of the lidfrom which the covering piece extends. The carrying handle need notnecessarily comprise a soft synthetic resin as proposed in theaforegoing.

The invention will now be described With reference to 3,197,112 PatentedJuly 27, 1965 the accompanying partly diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view obliquely from above and from in front of ashoe box according to the invention arranged on a shelf in a shoe shop,

FIG. 2 is a corresponding View of the shoe box with the handle extendingthrough the covering piece,

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of the shoe box with the lid portionattached to the bottom portion and the box thus ready to be carried awayby the customer,

FIG. 4 shows on an enlarged scale a vertical section through the frontside of the box shown in FIG. 1 on the line IVlV in this figure,

FIG. 5 shows a similar section but on the line VV in FIG. 2,

FIG. 6 is a plane view of a cardboard blank for the manufacture of thelid portion of the shoe box according to the invention,

FIG. 7 shows a horizontal, longitudinal section through one short sideof the bottom portion of the box,

FIG. 8 is an end elevation of the lower portion of the shoe boxaccording to FIG. 3,

FIG. 9 shows a gummed strip to be used for fixing the lid to the bottomon the short side remote from the one with the carrying handle,

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of a closing device according to a modifiedembodiment,

FIG. 11 is an end elevation corresponding to FIG. l0,

FIG. 12 shows a vertical'cross section through the-rear end wall of thebottom portion and the rear border of the lid portion attached to eachother by means of the device shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the shoe box comprises a bottom portion 1 and alid portion 2. The bottom portion is of conventional construction.

In FIG. 6 there is shown a blank 39 for the manufacture of the lidportion of the box according to the invention. This blank 39 comprises atop panel 39A, opposite side portions 393 and a short side or endportion 25 of common width whilst the opposite. short side or endportion '40 is extended and forms a cover piece 5. The latter has suchdimensions that it can be brought completely to cover one short side orend 23 of the bottom portion 1. Tab portions 25A and 40A areprovided'respectively on the end portions 25 and 40 for securing the endportions of the lid to the respective side portions at the corners ofthe lid. The cover piece 5 has an elongated opening 18 for the passageof thefhand-le 17 and continues in the short side piece 40 via a foldinggroove or line 41. Another folding groove or line 42 extends parallel tothe line 41 at a distance from the same which substantially correspondsto the height of the side piece 40. These two fold lines 41, 42 make itpossible to fold the cover piece 5 into the lid portion 2 in the wayshown in FIG. 4, viz. in such a way that the intermediate part 43 withthe opening 18 extends on the inside of the short side piece 40 and thelower part 44 extends on the other side of the upper portion of the lid2. In this position the cover piece 5 is quite out of the way and thelid portion 2 has at least from the outside a conventional shape andappearance.

Referring now to FIG. 7'it is seen that the longitudinal walls 9, 13 atthe corners of the bottom portion of the box are provided with bent-inelo'ngations 22 attached to the inside of the short side wall 23. Spacedslots 14 are cut out in the short side wall 23 as well as in theinwardsbent wall elongations 22 situated inside said wall 23. The straps16 of the handle 17 extend through the slots 14 and catching plates 15are situated on the inside of the elongations 22. The slots 14 aresituated and the catching plates 15 are dimensioned in such a way thattheir oppositely directed ends 24 will slide on the inside of thelongitudinal side walls 9, 13 whereby the handle 17 after being pushed 3in will remain in its pushed-in position due to the friction exerted bythe catching plates against the walls 9, 13. When the filled shoe box isplaced on the shelf 27 (FIG. 1) ins shop, the covering piece 5 will bein the'position shown in FIG. 4. The statements on the light surfaces,

portion 1. The labels 29 on the front side 23 of the box are completelyhidden by the covering piece 5.

Finally, the box may be sealed at the opposite short side by means of agummed strip 30 (FIGS. 3 and 8) covering this short side and the upperside of the lid portion 2. The strip 30 preferably comprises a so-calledtape strip and may with advantage be formed as a seal at one or bothends. The box is thereuponcomfortably carried by the handle 17. In FIG.9 there isshown a tape 32 from which it is easy to tear the gumrnedstrips 30 with the seal-shaped ends 31..

In FIGS. to 12 there is shown another closure device. This hassubstantially the same shape and action as a splint. It is, preferably,manufactured of synthetic resin and has .branches 33 springing outwardsand extending from a head 34 having the shape of a button. At thesealapproximately equal to the depth of said one end of the box, a firsthorizontal fold line extending across said second end portion at adistance from the top panel approximately equal to the depth of saidside portions and defining an area of said second end portion below saidtold line which is folda-ble inwardly, a second horizontal fold lineextending across said second end portion below said first fold line andat a distance from said first fold line approximatelycqual to, the depthof said side portions and foldable in a direction opposite to that ofsaid first fold line, said fold lines dividing said second end portionin an upper area above said first fold line, an intermediate areabetween said fold lines and a lower area below said second told line,tab portions securing opposite sides of said upper area only to saidside portions at respective corners of the lid, said intermediate areahaving formed therein an elongated opening receiving said handletherethrough, said second end portion of the lid having a firstcondition in which said intermediate area lies inside said upper areaand said lower area underlies an adjacent portion of said top panel anda second condition in which said upper, intermediate and lower areas areapproximately in the same plane and substantially cover said one ending, the branches 33 are pressed together (see the dash t and dot linesin FIG. 10) againstthe action of the springing efi'ect in the resinmaterial and are entered through two apertures 37 and 38, respectively,arranged in front of each other in the rear end wall'35 of the bottomportion 1 and the rear border of the lid port-ion 2. On the inside ofthe end wall the branches 33 automatically spring for purposes ofillustration only and is not intended to be limited by this descriptionor otherwise except as defined in the appended claims. The handle neednot necessarily comprise the above described construction but could bee.g. a rope whereas its holders quite simply comprise knots on the endsof the rope. The cover piece 5 need not neeessarily completely cover theshort side 23 of the bottom portion 1. The cover piece 5 could forinstance be attached by clamps, staples or glue to the front short sidpiece 49 (FIG. 2) of the lid portion 2. What we claim is:v 1. Incombination with a box having a rectangular bo tom, two opposite sidepanels and two opposite end panels, and a handle of flexible material onone end of said box approximately midway between the upper and loweredges of said one end;,,a lid comprising a rectangular top panelapproximately equal to said bottom, opposite side portions perpendicularto said top panel and extending down part way over the correspondingside panels of the box when the lid is in closed position on the box,said side portions having a depth which is only a fraction of the depthof the side panels of thebox, a first end portion perpendicular to saidtop panel and side side portions and havinga depth approximately'equalto the depth of said side portions, tab portions securing said first endportion to said side portion atrespective corners of the lid,'av

second end portion having'a'width approximately equal to the width ofsaid one end of the box and a depth panel of, the box, with said handlepassing through said opening. i I

2. A combination according to claim 1, in which said handle is formed offlexible synthetic resin material.

3. A combination according to claim 1, inwhich opposite end port-ions ofsaid handle extend through spaced slits in said one end of the'box andare secured on the inner side of said one end.

4. A combination according to claim 1, further comprising means forsecuring said first end portion of said lid to an adjacent portion ofthe corresponding end panel of saidbox.

5. A combination according to claim 4, in which said securing meanscomprises a .fastener extending through aligned holes in said first endportion .of the lid and an underlying portion of said corresponding endpanel of said box. a

6. A combination according to claim 4, in which said fastening meanscomprises a flexible strip adhesively secured to outer surfaces of saidfirst end portion of the lid and the corresponding end panel of the box.

References Cited by'the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 172,759 7/76Mentzel.

645,214 3/00 Prins 22952 1,127,902 2/ 15 La Fore 22943 1,781,624 11/30Barnes 20676 2,117,502 3/38 Reich 22952 2,482,399 9/49 Bullock 229-522,645,407 7/53 Bergstein 229--52 2,667,297 1/54 McReary. 2,782,981 2/57Mires 229 52 2,828,064 3/58 Strable 229- 52 2,891,715 I 6/59 Wireberg229-52 2,903,173 9/59 Hopkins 229-43 X 2,903,177 9/59 Strable 22952 XFOREIGN PATENTS 544,370 1/56 Belgium.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A BOX HAVINGA RECTANGULAR BOTTOM, TWO OPPOSITE SIDE PANELS AND TWO OPPOSITE END PANELS, AND A HANDLE OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL ON ONE END OF SAID BOX APPROXIMATELY MIDWAY BETWENE THE UPPER AND LOWER EDGES OF SAID ONE END; A LID COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR TOP PANEL APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO SAID BOTTOM, OPPOSITE SIDE PORTIONS PERPENDICULAR TO SAID TOP PANEL AND EXTENDING DOWN PART WAY OVER THE CORRESPONDING SIDE PANELS OF THE BOX WHEN THE LID IS IN CLOSED POSITION ON THE BOX, SAID SAID PORTIONS HAVING A DEPTH WHICH IS ONLY A FRACTION OF THE DEPTH OF THE SIDE PANELS OF THE BOX, A FIRST END PORTION PERPENDICULAR TO SAID TOP PANEL AND SIDE SIDE PORTIONS AND HAVING A DEPTH APPROXIMATLEY EQUAL TO THE DEPTH OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS, TAB PORTIONS SECURING SAID FIRST END PORTION TO SAID SIDE PORTION AT RESPECTIVE CORNERS OF THE LID, A SECOND END PORTION HAVING A WIDTH APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF SAID ONE END OF THE BOX AND A DEPTH APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE DEPTH OF SAID ONE END OF THE BOX, A FIRST HORIZONTAL FOLD LINE EXTENDING ACROSS SAID SECOND END PORTION AT A DISTANCE FROM THE TOP PANEL APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE DEPTH OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS AND DEFINING AN AREA OF SAID SECOND END PORTION BELOW SAID FOLD LINE WHICH IS FOLDABLE INWARDLY, A SECOND HORIZONTAL FOLD LINE EXTENDING ACROSS SAID SECOND END PORTION BELOW SAID FIRST FOLD LINE AND AT A DISTANCE FROM SAID FIRST FOLD LINE APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE DEPTH OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS AND FOLDABLE IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THAT OF SAID FIRST FOLD LINE, SAID FOLD LINES DIVIDING SAID SECOND END PORTION INTO AN UPPER AREA ABOVE SAID FIRST FOLD LINE, AN INTERMEDIATE AREA BETWEEN SAID FOLD LINES AND A LOWER AREA BELOW SAID SECOND FOLD LINE, TAB POORTIONS SECURING OPPOSITE SIDS OF SAID UPPER AREA ONLY TO SAID SIDE PORTIONS AT RESPECTIVE CORNERS OF THE LID, SAID INTERMEDIATE AREA HAVING FORMED THEREIN AN ELONGATED OPENING RECEIVING SAID HANDLE FORMED THROUGH, SAID SECOND END PORTION OF THE LID HAVING A FIRST CONDITION IN WHICH SAID INTERMEDIATE AREA LIES INSIDE SAID UPPER AREA AND SAID LOWER AREA UNDERLIES AN ADJACENT PORTION OF SAID TOP PANEL AND A SECOND CONDITION IN WHICH SAID UPPER, INTERMEDIATE AN LOWER AREAS AREE APPROXIMATELY IN THE SAME PLANE AND SUBSTANTIALLY COVER SAID ONE END PANEL OF THE BOX, WITH SAID HANDLE PASSING THROUGH SAID OPENING. 